In The Fair-
Green Are The Round Buildings Intended For Show Cattle And
Agricultural Implements, But Now Given Up To Cavalry Horses And
Parrott Guns.
But Benton Barracks are outside the fair-green.
Here
on an open space, some half mile in length, two long rows of wooden
sheds have been built, opposite to each other, and behind them are
other sheds used for stabling and cooking places. Those in front
are divided, not into separate huts, but into chambers capable of
containing nearly two hundred men each. They were surrounded on the
inside by great wooden trays, in three tiers - and on each tray four
men were supposed to sleep. I went into one or two while the crowd
of soldiers was in them, but found it inexpedient to stay there
long. The stench of those places was foul beyond description.
Never in my life before had I been in a place so horrid to the eyes
and nose as Benton Barracks. The path along the front outside was
deep in mud. The whole space between the two rows of sheds was one
field of mud, so slippery that the foot could not stand. Inside and
outside every spot was deep in mud. The soldiers were mud-stained
from foot to sole. These volunteer soldiers are in their nature
dirty, as must be all men brought together in numerous bodies
without special appliances for cleanliness, or control and
discipline as to their personal habits. But the dirt of the men in
the Benton Barracks surpassed any dirt that I had hitherto seen.
Nor could it have been otherwise with them.
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